Method and apparatus for controlling multimedia players in a multi-zone system

Abstract

Techniques for controlling zone group and zone group characteristics such as audio volume in a multi-zone system are disclosed. The multi-zone system includes a number of multimedia players, each preferably located in a zone. A controller may control the operations of all of the zone players remotely from any one of the zones. Two or more zone players may be dynamically grouped as a zone group for synchronized operations. According to one aspect of the techniques, a zone group configuration can be managed, updated, modified via an interactive user interface provided in a controlling device. The zone group configuration may be saved in one of zone players. According to another aspect of the techniques, the audio volume control of a zone group can be performed individually or synchronously as a group.

1. A method for controlling a plurality of players, the method comprising:
 displaying on a screen a first list showing at least available players; 
 displaying, when at least one of the players is selected as a zone group head, on the screen a second list showing at least some of the players that are eligible to be grouped with the zone group head; 
 forming a zone group started with the zone group head, after one or more players from the at least some of the players are selected to join the zone group; and 
 synchronizing all players in the zone group; 
 adjusting a volume meter represented by an averaged value of audio volumes of the slayers in the group, wherein said adjusting of the volume meter includes changing a volume of each of the group of slayers synchronously in accordance with an adjustment made by a user. 
 
   
   
     2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first list becomes scrollable, when the available players do not fit in the screen. 
   
   
     3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said synchronizing all players in the zone group comprises:
 determining an audio source for the zone group; 
 making the audio source available to each of the players in the zone group; and 
 playing the audio source synchronously in all players in the zone group. 
 
   
   
     4. The method of  claim 3 , wherein said determining an audio source for the zone comprises selecting the audio source being played or ready to be played by the zone group head. 
   
   
     5. The method of  claim 3 , wherein said of determining an audio source for the zone comprises selecting the audio source being played or ready to be played by one of the players in the zone group. 
   
   
     6. The method of  claim 3 , wherein said making of the audio source available comprises:
 determining whether the audio source is available locally; and 
 retrieving the audio source from a device on a network, if the audio source is not available locally. 
 
   
   
     7. The method of  claim 6 , wherein said making of the audio source available comprises:
 determining the audio source from one of the players in the zone group; and 
 causing the audio source available to every other player in the zone group. 
 
   
   
     8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said synchronizing of all players in the zone group comprises:
 causing all players in the zone group to play an identical audio source; and 
 presenting the zone group in a manner that indicates a grouping. 
 
   
   
     9. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the manner includes one or more of highlighting, colors, explicit texts and graphs. 
   
   
     10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first list further shows at least one zone group. 
   
   
     11. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the zone group includes at least two players. 
   
   
     12. The method of  claim 9 , wherein a configuration of the zone group is stored in at least one of the players or a controller for remotely controlling one or more of the players, the configuration including information on how the two players are grouped. 
   
   
     13. The method of  claim 8 , further including:
 selecting the zone group to be de-grouped from the first list; 
 displaying on the screen another list showing all the players within the zone group to be de-grouped; 
 selecting one or more players from the another list; and 
 disassociating the selected players from the zone group. 
 
   
   
     14. The method of  claim 13 , wherein said disassociating the selected players comprises making the selected players available for grouping with a zone group. 
   
   
     15. The method of  claim 13 , wherein the another list becomes scrollable, when all the players within the zone group to be de-grouped do not fit in the screen. 
   
   
     16. A method for controlling a plurality of players, the method comprising:
 displaying on a screen a list showing a plurality of volume meters, at least one of the volume meters representing an audio volume of one of the players, and another one of the volume meters representing an audio volume of a group of players, when there is such a group; and 
 adjusting one of the volume meters as desired after one of the volume meters from the list is selected, wherein the one of the volume meters is for the group of players, represented by an averaged value of audio volumes of the players in the group, and said adjusting of the one of the volume meters includes 
 
     changing a volume of each of the group of slayers synchronously in accordance with an adjustment made by a user. 
   
   
     17. The method of  claim 16 , wherein said adjusting the one of the volume meters includes:
 causing the audio volume to be adjusted in accordance with an adjustment to the volume meter; or 
 causing the audio volume to be off, when a mute button is activated while the audio volume is on; and 
 causing the audio volume to be on, when a mute button is activated while the audio volume is off. 
 
   
   
     18. The method of  claim 16 , further comprising adjusting the one of the volume meters for the group of players in a predetermined manner that appears that the group of players are being adjusted at the same time. 
   
   
     19. The method of  claim 16 , further comprising maintaining relative volume loudness difference among each of the players in the group. 
   
   
     20. The method of  claim 16 , further comprising playing an identical audio source in the group of players. 
   
   
     21. The method of  claim 20 , wherein the audio source is retrieved in form of audio data packets over the network. 
   
   
     22. The method of  claim 21 , wherein at least part of the audio source is retrieved or being streamed from one of the players. 
   
   
     23. The method of  claim 16 , wherein the one of the volume meters from the list selected is for the group of players, and wherein said adjusting the one of the volume meters includes causing an equal change to a volume of each of the players in the group. 
   
   
     24. The method of  claim 16 , wherein the one of the volume meters from the list selected is for the group of players, and wherein said adjusting the one of the volume meters includes causing a predetermined unit change in volume for ever action by a user. 
   
   
     25. An apparatus for controlling a plurality of players, the apparatus comprising:
 a screen; 
 a screen driver commanding the screen; 
 an input interface; 
 a network interface; 
 a memory for storing code for an application module; 
 a processor coupled to the memory, the input interface, the screen driver and the network interface, the processor executing the code in the memory to cause the application module and the screen driver to perform operations of:
 displaying on a screen a first list showing at least available players; 
 displaying a zone group including players from the available players when at least two of the available players are selected to form the zone group, wherein any one of the players in the group serves as a zone group head; 
 synchronizing all players in the zone group in accordance with the zone group head; and 
 adjusting a volume meter represented by an averaged value of audio volumes of the slayers in the group, wherein said adjusting of the volume meter includes changing a volume of each of the group of players synchronously in accordance with an adjustment made by a user. 
 
 
   
   
     26. The apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein the first list becomes scrollable, when the available players do not fit in the screen. 
   
   
     27. The apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein said synchronizing all players in the zone group comprises:
 determining an audio source for the zone group; 
 making the audio source available to each of the players in the zone group; and 
 playing the audio source synchronously in all players in the zone group. 
 
   
   
     28. The apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein said determining an audio source for the zone comprises selecting the audio source being played or ready to be played by the zone group head. 
   
   
     29. The apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein said determining an audio source for the zone comprises selecting the audio source being played or ready to be played by one of the players in the zone group. 
   
   
     30. The apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein said making the audio source available comprises:
 determining whether the audio source is available locally; and 
 retrieving the audio source from a device on a network, if the audio source is not available locally. 
 
   
   
     31. The apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein said making the audio source available comprises:
 determining the audio source from one of the players in the zone group; and 
 causing the audio source available to every other player in the zone group. 
 
   
   
     32. The apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein said synchronizing all players in the zone group comprises:
 causing all players in the zone group to play an identical audio source; and 
 presenting the zone group in a manner that indicates a grouping. 
 
   
   
     33. The apparatus of  claim 32 , wherein the manner includes one or more of highlighting, colors, explicit texts and graphs in the screen. 
   
   
     34. The apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein the first list further shows at least one zone group. 
   
   
     35. The apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein the processor executing the code in the memory to cause the application module and the screen driver to perform operations of:
 selecting the zone group to be de-grouped from the first list; 
 displaying on the screen an another list showing all the players within the zone group to be de-grouped; 
 selecting one or more players from the another list; and 
 disassociating the selected players from the zone group. 
 
   
   
     36. The apparatus of  claim 35 , wherein said disassociating the selected players comprises making the selected players available for grouping with a zone group. 
   
   
     37. The apparatus of  claim 35 , wherein the another list becomes scrollable, when all the players within the zone group to be de-grouped do not fit in the screen. 
   
   
     38. An apparatus for manipulating a plurality of players, the apparatus comprising:
 a screen; 
 a screen driver commanding the screen; 
 an input interface; 
 a network interface; 
 a memory for storing code for an application module; 
 a processor coupled to the memory, the input interface, the screen driver and the network interface, the processor executing the code in the memory to cause the application module and the screen driver to perform operations of:
 displaying on a screen a list showing a plurality of volume meters, at least one of the volume meters representing an audio volume of one of the players, and another one of the volume meters representing an audio volume of a group of players, if there is such a group; and 
 adjusting one of the volume meters as desired after one of the volume meters from the list is selected, wherein the one of the volume meters is for the group of players, represented by an averaged value of audio volumes of the slayers in the group, and said adjusting of the one of the volume meters includes changing a volume of each of the group of players synchronously in accordance with an adjustment made by a user. 
 
 
   
   
     39. The apparatus of  claim 38 , wherein said adjusting the one of the volume meters includes:
 causing the audio volume to be adjusted in accordance with an adjustment to the volume meter; or 
 causing the audio volume to be off, when a mute button is activated while the audio volume is on; and 
 causing the audio volume to be on, when a mute button is activated while the audio volume is off. 
 
   
   
     40. The apparatus of  claim 38 , wherein the one of the volume meters from the list selected is for the group of players, and wherein said adjusting the one of the volume meters includes:
 changing a volume of each of the group of players synchronously in accordance with an adjustment made by a user. 
 
   
   
     41. The apparatus of  claim 38 , wherein the processor executing the code in the memory causes the application module and the screen driver to perform operations of adjusting the one of the volume meters for the group of players in a predetermined manner that appears that the group of players are being adjusted at the same time. 
   
   
     42. The apparatus of  claim 38 , wherein the processor executing the code in the memory causes the application module and the screen driver to perform operations of maintaining relative volume loudness difference among each of the players in the group. 
   
   
     43. The apparatus of  claim 38 , wherein the one of the volume meters from the list selected is for the group of players, and wherein said adjusting the one of the volume meters includes causing an equal change to a volume of each of the players in the group. 
   
   
     44. The apparatus of  claim 38 , wherein the one of the volume meters from the list selected is for the group of players, and wherein said adjusting the one of the volume meters includes causing a predetermined unit change in volume for ever action by a user.